Windows 7 Offline files will not default to "available offline"

[Mako]

I've tried posting this question to the MS pro forums and a couple of other places with no luck, and am getting truly desperate. At this point, I'd be happy just to know if it's something wrong with the configuration, or if this is a fundamental Win7 problem.

I recently started managing a small office network that includes a few laptops on a Server 2003 domain. The laptops automatically mount a user folder off of a Server 2003 fileserver on login to a domain account and are configured to have the folder made available for offline use for when the users are out of the office.

On XP, this worked more or less flawlessly, and how you would expect--files synced and were always available consistently for offline use.

Recently, I replaced one of the old laptops with a Win 7 laptop, and have had nothing but problems with Sync Center. I set up the folder in question to sync appropriately and be available offline, which worked fine. (Note: I am NOT having the common problem where the "Always available offline" menu item does not appear.)

However... when the user creates new files/folders, or saves files from Outlook or some other programs, some significant percentage of the time they default to NOT be available offline. This is hugely annoying as far as workflow goes.

The files can individually be set to be available offline by right-clicking and selecting "make available offline" for each, but I can't seem to find any way via Win2K3 Domain policy or Win7 client setting to get this to default to on for everything in the folder, like it did with XP.

Is this normal? Is there some obvious setting or configuration I'm missing? Did something get screwed up in the migration?​

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are facing issues with file synchronization and offline availability on Windows 7 laptops connected to a Server 2003 domain, especially after upgrading from Windows XP. The behavior you are experiencing, where new files/folders do not default to being available offline, can be frustrating for users. Let's address your concerns:

Possible Causes and Solutions:​

1. Differences Between Windows XP and Windows 7:
   • Windows 7 handles offline files and synchronization differently compared to Windows XP. This change might explain the differences in behavior you are noticing.
   []Sync Center Configuration:
   • Verify that Sync Center is properly configured on the Windows 7 laptop. You can access it by typing "Sync Center" in the Start menu search bar.
   []Offline File Sync Settings:
   • Check the offline files settings on the Windows 7 laptop to ensure that the correct folders are set to be available offline by default.
   []Group Policy Settings:
   • Group Policy settings can affect offline file availability. Review the Group Policy settings related to offline files to see if any settings need adjustment.
   []File Permissions:
   • Ensure that the user accounts have the necessary permissions on the server and the folder in question to synchronize files properly.
2. Migration Issues:
   • Check if any settings were not successfully migrated during the transition from Windows XP to Windows 7. It's possible that some configurations did not transfer correctly.

     Recommendations:​

   • Testing in a Controlled Environment:
   • Set up a test environment to simulate the issue and experiment with different configurations without affecting the live network.
   • Consulting Microsoft Support:
   • If you cannot resolve the issue internally, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for assistance.

     Additional Tips:​

   • File Caching:
   • Windows 7 handles file caching and synchronization differently from Windows XP. Understanding these differences can help in troubleshooting.
   • Network Connectivity:
   • Confirm that network connectivity is stable and that there are no issues affecting file synchronization. By investigating these areas and considering the differences between Windows XP and Windows 7 in offline file handling, you may be able to identify the root cause of the issue and implement the necessary solutions to improve offline file availability on your Windows 7 laptops within the Server 2003 domain environment.